CHESHIRE East Council defended its decision to hold the official reopening of Crewe’s Queens Park before the work was fully completed.

The council has come under fire from some residents who complained it looked far from ready a week before Saturday’s grand re-opening.

Resident Wayne Williams told the Chronicle: “What I saw shocked me to the core, it looks far from ready and also looks like it will take more than a week to sort out.

“Personally I think many people will be disappointed. The folk of this town have waited long enough and will expect the whole park to be completely re-opened and it’s nowhere near any kind of former glory. Crewe taxpayers will want answers.”

Cheshire East Council admits work on the 45-acre park is not yet completed. The £6.5m restoration, which began five years ago, has been plagued by problems, including one of the contractors going bust.

But Cheshire East says it’s now about looking forward and opening the park up so people can use it – hence the official reopening on Saturday.

Areas which look like a building site include the proposed depot. Other areas are fenced off for health and safety reasons until work is complete.